Engine starting apparatus



Nov. 14, 1933- R. P. LANSING ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l r 0 .t e D n 3 R. P. LANSING ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Nov. 14, 1933- Filed Jan.

15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1,934,806 PATENT OFFICE 1,934,806 v ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Raymond P. Lansing, Montclair, N. J., assignor to Eclipse Machine Company, Elmira Heights, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 15, 1929. Serial No. 332,738

9 Claims. (Cl. 123-179) This invention relates to engine starters, and more particularly to means embodying a high speed flywheel for cranking internal combustion engines.

It is desirable for inertia engine starting mechanism to be symmetrical in form in order to conserve space and facilitate installation on an engine. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide the starter with both manual and power means adapted for independent or concurrent operation for rotating the flywheel, whereby energy may be stored therein.

After a starter has been installed on an engine it is frequently necessary to alter the angular position of the hand crank relative to the engine in order that said crank will not interfere with structural elements of the vehicle, such as an aeroplane, on which the engine and starter are mounted. Difliculty has heretofore been encountered in providing for angular adjustability of the hand cranking means if the starter is of the type embodying power means, such as an electric motor, for energizing the starter flywheel, and this is particularly true if the motor and flywheel are coaxially disposed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel engine starter of the inertia type embodying manual and power means for energizing the flywheel.

Another object is to provide novel starting mechanism provided with a flywheel and an electric motor which are coaXially disposed, relative to the engine engaging member of the starter, in combination with manual means for energizing the flywheel, said manual means being angularly adjustable relative to the starter.

Another object is to, provide, novel starting mechanism of the flywheel type which is so constituted that -the flywheel may be rotated from a point in the rear of the same or at the side thereof.

A further object is to provide an inertia starter embodying novel motion transmitting means for manually actuating or rotating the flywheel. The

' above and other objects will appear more fully hereafter in the detailed description of the in-' vention.

Two embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughoutthe several views, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of starting mechanism embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the novel gearing which may be employed in the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an axial view in section of the starter shown in Fig. 1 but with the hand cranking shaft adjusted to an angular position substantially 90 from that shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 illustrates, in partial section and with parts broken away, another embodiment of the present invention.

The starting mechanism embodies a housing constituted by an inner section 4 provided with a flange 5 having a plurality of openings therein. Bolts '7 (Fig. 3), which extend through theopenings in said flange, may be employed for securing the starter to an engine housing which is diagrammatically.illustrated at 8.- Removably attached to the outer end of housing section 4, as by means of bolts 9, is an intermediate housing section 10, and attached to the outer end of the latter is an end section 11, the sections 10 and 11 being connected together by means of screws 12 which extend through flanges provided on said sections.

The intermediate housing section 10 is provid-.

ed adjacent its outer end with a diaphragm or wall 13 (Fig. 3) having an enlarged portion 14 provided centrally thereof to receive ball bearings 15 for rotatably supporting the hub 16 of a flywheel 17. This flywheel is relatively small and light and is adapted to be rotated at very high speed. A retaining disc 18 for bearings 15 is secured to wall 13 of section 10.

Power means are provided for rotating flywheel 1'7 at high speed. In the form shown, said means comprise an electric motor 19 that is removably secured by means of screws 20 to the outer face of' housing, section 11 coaxial with flywheel 17. The armature shaft 21-of the motor is threaded to receive a longitudinally movable clutch member 22 adapted to engage and cooperate with a clutch member23 that is attached by means of rivets, to the outer face of flywheel 17. A light coil spring 22 is preferably provided on shaft 21 for' engagement with clutch member 22 to normally hold the latter in non-driving position.

When the motor is energized, the inertia of clutch member 22 and the rotation of the threaded armature shaft 21 results in a combined longitudinal and rotary motion being imparted to said clutch member, whereupon the same moves into driving engagement with clutch member 23, against the tension of spring 22 and the flywheel 17 is rotated at high speed. When the motor 19 is de-energized armature shaft 21 rapidly loses its speed of rotation while flywheel 17 continues to rotate at'high speed. Clutch member 23 now tends to drive clutch member 22, whereupon the latter is threaded to the right along shaft 21 out of driving engagementwith the flywheel, and spring 22 maintains member 22 in non-driving position.

Means are provided for transmitting the energy stored in the flywheel to the engine to be started, and said means are so constituted that the engine will be cranked at a much lower speed than at which the flywheel 17 is rotating. In the form shown said motion transmitting means barrel 38.

through hub 16 of the flywheel and is drivably connected thereto as by means of a key 25. The outer end of hollow shaft 24 is exteriorlyv threaded to receive a nut 27 which engages clutch member 23 and'coacts with a flange 28, provided on the inner end of said shaft and having engagement with the enlarged portion of wall 13, to prevent endwise movement of the shaft and flywheel relative to bearings 15.

Integrally formed on, or drivably connected to, the inner end of hollow shaft 24 is a pinion 29 which meshes with a spur gear 30 drivably connected to a stub shaft 31 that is rotatably mount-- ed in wall 13 of the intermediate housing section 10. Preferably, ball bearings 32 are provided for rotatably mounting shaft 31, and the latter is laterally spaced from and substantially parallel. to hollow shaft 24. Bearings 32 are maintained in spaced relation in recesses provided in wall 13 by means of a spacing ring 33 and endwise movement of stub shaft 31 is prevented by means of a nut 33 which is threaded onto the outer end of said shaft and coacts with a shoulder provided on the inner end of the shaft, said shoulder having engagement with the inner race of the inner ball bearing 32.

Drivably connected to or formed integrally with shaft 31 and spur gear 30 is a pinion 34 which meshes with an internal gear 35 that is rotatably mounted by means of a bushing 36 on a stub shaft 37 that projects from and is drivably connected to the closed end of a barrel 38 that is rotatably mounted in housing section 4 by means of ball bearings 39. Internal'gear 35, which is coaxial with the flywheel and shaft 24, is formed integrally with a pinion 40 which meshes with a plurality of planetary gears 41, one of the latter being shown in section in Fig. 3. Longitudinal movement of gear 35 and pinion 40 relative to stub shaft 37 is prevented by means of a nut 42 (and suitable lock washer) threaded onto the outer end of stub shaft 37.

Pinion 40, constitutes a sun gear for the planetary gears 41 which, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention are three in number and are spaced 120 apart around the closed' end of Each planetary gear is rotatably mounted by means of a ball bearing 43 carried by a sleeve 44 that is countersunk at its inner end into the closed end of barrel 38. Sleeve 44 is supported by a screw 45 which extends through the sleeve and is threaded into the closed end of the barrel. Planetary gears 41 mesh with an internal gear 46 which is rigidly secured within housing section 4-by means of studs 47.

The step-down train of gearing described above is effective to transmit rotation of the flywheel to barrel 38 and the latter is adapted to drive an engine engaging, jaw clutch member 48 which may be moved into driving engagement with a similar clutch member 49 secured to the engine crankshaft, or an extension thereof. Because of the high speed of rotation of flywheel 17, a large amount of energy is stored therein and if this energy were imparted through a rigid connection to the engine crankshaft, the resistance to rotation of said crankshaft, due to the inertia of the engine parts, would result in breakage of the starter elements. Means are accordingly interposed between the gear train described above and clutch member 48 for yieldingly transmitting the energy of rotation, thus permitting the starter parts to be relatively light without likelihood of damage or breakage in operation.

In the form shown, the yielding means is constituted by a multiple disc clutch positioned within barrel 38. A number of the discs 50 of the clutch, which discs are annular in form, are exteriorly' splined to the inner surface of barrel 38 while the remaining discs are splined on their inner peripheries to the outer surface of an interiorly threaded nut 51 provided with a flange 52. A spacing ring or thrust washer 53 is interposed between the closed end of barrel 38 and the adjacent clutch disc 50, and a spacing washer 54, which is preferably L-shaped in cross section, is interposed between flange 52 and the adjacent clutch disc.

A plurality of coil springs 55 are provided for maintaining and varying the frictional engagement of discs 50. As shown, the inner ends of said springs engage a washer 56 which abuts against the outer face of flange 52 and the outer ends of said springs bear against a ring 57 which carries a plurality of studs 58 that extend within the coils of the springs and retain the same in spaced relation around the inner surface of barrel 38. Ring 57 abuts against an adjusting nut 59 which is threaded into the open end of the barrel. By adjusting the position of nut 59 the compression of springs 55 may be varied to thereby vary the frictional engagement of discs 50. Nut 59 may be secured in adjusted position by means of a locking plate 60 which is attached to said nut by screw 61, the outer end of the plate extending into a longitudinal slot 62 provided in the end of barrel 38.

Positioned within nut 51, and mounted for longitudinal and rotary movement relative thereto, is a threaded shaft 63 that carries on its outer end a nut 64 adapted to engage a shoulder 65 formed interiorly of nut 51 whereby longitudinal movement of the shaft is positively limited. The inner end of shaft 63 is longitudinally splined and extends .within the splined hub 48a of clutch member 48. A positive driving connection is thus provided between shaft 63 and member'48 but relative longitudinal movement is permitted between these parts. A coil spring 66 is interposed between clutch member 48 and shaft 63, the outer end of the spring preferably extending into a pocket in said shaft, to yieldingly resist movement of the latter toward the clutch member.

1 Means are provided for manually rotating flywheel 17, and said means are so constituted that the same are adapted for angular adjustment relative to the remaining parts of the starter,

whereby a hand crank may be operatively connected with the starter in a plurality of angular positions. In the form shown, said means includesa cranking shaft 67 which is disposed substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation of the flywheel. Shaft 67 is rotatably mounted adjacent its outer end by means of a roller bearing 68 in a casing or housing 69 which is secured to a lateral projection 10a, provided on housing section 10, by means of screws 70 and a bolt 71. The bolt 71 extends through housing 69, through a laterally projecting portion 4a provided on housing section 4, and through a cover plate 72 which abuts against saidprojecting portion 4a and closes an opening therein; This opening gives access, when said cover plate is removed, to a stub shaft 73 that is rotatably mounted by ball bearings 74 in portion 4a. The stub shaft 73 is hollow and bolt 71 extends freely therethrough. Drivably connected to or formed integrally with the outer end of stub shaft 73 is a bevel gear 75 which meshes with a bevel gear 76 that is driy- 151 ably connected to the inner end of cranking spring 66 to prevent seepage of oil through the shaft 6'7. The latter is rotatably supported closely adjacent bevel gear 76 by means of a ball bearing 77 carried in housing portion 69.

Rigidly connected to stub shaft '73 for rotation therewith is a spur gear 78 which meshes with a spur gear 79 that is carried by screws 45, outwardly of planetary gears 41, and hence is rigidly connected to barrel 38 for rotation therewith. A hand crank (not shown) is adapted to be engaged with the cranking shaft 6'7 which carries, adjacent its projecting end, a transverse pin 80 for this purpose.

Means are provided for moving clutch member 48 into driving engagement with the clutch member 49, said means being adapted to be actuated after flywheel 1'7 has been brought to the desired speed of rotation. In the form shown the meshing mechanism includes a rod 81 which slidably extends through stub shaft 37 and threaded shaft 63. The inner end of rod 81 passes freely through an opening in the hub of jaw member 48 and carries a nut'82 to maintain the jaw and rod in operative relation. Intermediate the ends thereof rod 81 is provided with a shoulder 83 which normally abuts against the outer end of threaded shaft 63. The outer end of rod 81 terminates closely adjacent pinion 29 and carries a transversely extending pin 84 which projects through slots in the bifurcated end of a lever 85 that is attached to the inner end of a rockshaft 86. The outer end of rockshaft 86, which is rotatably mounted in the intermediate housing section 10,

projects outwardly through the housing and has rigidly connected thereto a bell crank lever 87 adapted for connection with a rod or cable (not shown) whereby the rockshaft may be rotated. A coil spring 88 having one end anchored to the housing and the opposite end connected to lever 85, normally maintains the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3 with jaw member 48 in nondriving position.

Means are provided to prevent oil from seeping from the engine crankcase into the starter housing where it will interfere with the operation of the starting mechanism. For this purpose a cupshaped member 89, which is preferably formed .of light metal and is provided with a flange 89a that is clamped between flange 5 of the starter housing and the engine crankcase 8, fits over the inner end of the barrel 38 and is provided centrally with an opening in which jaw 48 is freely movable. Member 89 is provided with a shoulder 89b to the inner face of which is riveteda flexible annular washer 90 that engages. at its inner periphery the periphery of the laterally extending hub portion of jaw member 48. Cooperating with the flexible member 90 is a ring 91 which abuts against the outer face of the inner portion of said washer and is held in position against the flexible member by means of a sleeve 92 which surrounds the hub portion of jaw 48 and also a portion of nut 51, the inner end of said sleeve having abutting engagement with flange 52. Sleeve 92 is sufficiently long to hold ring 91 in a position such that the inner portion of flexible member 90 is fiexe'd inwardly and is held in engagement with the enlarged head of jaw member 48. Seepage of oil from the engine crankcase into the starter housing is prevented by member 89 and flexible member 90. A pair of washers 93, one of which is preferably formed of flexible material, surround rod 81 and are held in abutting engagement with jaw member 48 by means of central opening in the jaw member.

The operation of the device is as follows: when the circuit (not shown) to motor 19 is closed, rotation of armature shaft 21 results in clutch member 22 being moved to the left (Fig. 3) into driving engagementwith clutch member 23 carried on flywheel 17 whereby the flywheel is rotated at high speed. The rotation of the flywheel is transmitted through hollow shaft 24, pinion 29, spur gear 30, pinion 34, internal gear 35, pinion 40, and planetary gears 41 to barrel 38. The rotation of the barrel is transmitted through clutch discs 90 to nut 51, threaded shaft 63 and jaw 48.

After the flywheel has been brought to the desired speed of rotation, the circuit to the motor is broken, and the operator actuates bell crank lever 87, whereupon said lever acts through rockshaft 86 and lever 85 to move rod 81 to the left as viewed in Fig. 3. Shoulder 83 provided on rod 81 forces threaded shaft 63 to the left and this movement of the shaft is transmitted through spring 66 to jaw 48, whereby the latter is yieldingly moved into driving engagement with jaw 49. The energy stored in the flywheel is now imparted to the crankshaft of the engine to crank the same.

The inertia of the engine parts is such that relative movement takes place between barrel 38,-and jaw 48, due to slippa e between discs 50, until the engine crankshaft is brought up to speed whereupon the barrel and the parts contained therein rotate in unison.

When the engine starts under its own power the speed of rotation of jaw-member 49 exceeds that of jaw member 48 and the inclined surfaces of the teeth of said jaws act to force jaw 48 to: the right out of drivingengagement. As soon as the operator releases bell crank 87, spring 88 acts to return jaw 48 and rod 81 to normal position. This movement of the jaw acts through spring 66 to return threaded shaft 63 to normal position.

In the event that it is not desirable to employ the motor for storing energy in the flywheel, a hand crank (not shown) is engaged with cranking shaft 67 to rotate the latter. The movement of the cranking shaft is transmitted through bevel gear 76, bevel gear 75, spur gear 78, spur gear 79, planetary gears 41, sun gear 40, internal gear 35, pinion 34, spur gear 30,-

pinion. 29 and hollow shaft 24 to rotate the fly-' wheel 17 and bring it up to the. desired speed, i. e., to store in said flywheel a sufiicient amount of energy to crank the engine. If the current supply for the electric motor is deficient, rotation of the flywheel may be produced by conjoint action of the motor and hand cranking means.

' If it is desired to adjust the angular position of cranking shaft 67, screws 700 (Fig. 1) and screws '70 are removed, whereupon cranking shaft 67 and housing 69 may be rotated to 'provide for the proper adjustment of the cranking shaft. If'the cranking shaft is adjusted through,

180, screws '70 will be inserted in the openings through which screws 70d extend as viewed in Fig.1.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive is so constructed as to provide for manual energization of the flywheel from positions at the side thereof. In certain instances it is desirable to manually rotate the flywheel from a point at the rear as for example from the cockpit of an aeroplane. The present rotating the flywheel including invention includes interchangeable means for this purpose.

As shown in Fig. 4, the casing 69 of Fig. 3 has been removed and replaced by casing 94 which rotatably supports the cranking shaft 67 in a position such that the longitudinal axis of said shaft extends substantially parallel to but is laterally spaced from the axis of rotation of the flywheel. When casing 94 is employed the necessity for bevel gears '75 and 76 is eliminated, the gear 78 being mounted directly on the cranking shaft 67. While the housing illustrated in Fig. 4 differs somewhat in form and construction from that shown in Fig. 3, as will be apparent without the necessity for a detailed description,

'casing 69 may be applied thereto in place of casing 94 if desired.

In order to substitute the longitudinal cranking shaft and its supporting casing 94 for the transverse cranking shaft and its supporting casing 69' in the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, a portion of the housing section 11 may be cut away as well as a portion of the outer flange of housing section. 10 as is more clearly shown in Fig. 1.

There is thus provided a novel inertia engine starter embodying electrical means for rotating the flywheel in combination with manual means for rotating the flywheel, said manual means being adapted for independent or concurrent action with respect to the motor. The device is extremely compact and can be readily installed and removed from the engine. Various changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of parts as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. While only two embodiments of the invention have been shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be expressly understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an engine starter of the type embodying an engine engaging member and a high speed flywheel adapted to actuate said engine engaging member through planetary gears,'means for a cranking shaft and a gear, the latter having unitary rotation with the planetary movement of the flrst named gears.

2. In an engine starter of the type embodying a longitudinally movable engine engaging member and a flywheel adapted to actuate said longitudinally movable engine engaging member, means for drivably connecting the flywheel and member including a rotatably mounted barrel, planetary -gears and means for mounting said gears on said barrel, and means for rotating the flywheel to store energy therein including a gear carried by said second named means and having unitary rotation with said barrel.

3. In an engine starter of the inertia type, an

engine engaging member, a housing, a flywheel in,

said housing, means including gearing and a yielding connection operatively connected to the engine engaging member and the flywheel, a barrel interposed between said yielding connection and gearing, and means for rotating the flywheel including a laterally projecting gear, and a second gear having. unitary rotation with said barrel and meshing with said laterally projecting gear.

4. In an engine starter of the inertia typefa housing, a flywheel in said housing, an engine engaging member adapted to be driven by the flywheel, means including planetary gears for drivably connecting the flywheel and engine engaging member, means operatively connected with said planetary gears for rotating the flywheel including a casing adjustably connected to the starter housing, a cranking shaft in said casing, an annular gear operatively connected with the cranking shaft and a second gear meshing with said first named annular gear, and common mounting means for causing unitary rotation of said second annular gear and planetary gears.

5. In an engine starter of the inertia type, a housing, an engine engaging member, a flywheel for driving said engine engaging member, means including a gear train for drivably connecting the flywheeland engine engaging member, "said gear train including a plurality of planetary gears, and means forrotating the flywheel including a cranking shaft positioned exteriorly of said housing and a gear member adapted for unitary rotation-with the planetary movement of said planetary gears.

6. In an engine starter of the inertia. type, an engine engaging member, a flywheel for actuating said member, means for drivably connecting said flywheel and member including a rotatably mounted barrel, friction clutch means therein and planetary gears carried thereby, and means for rotating said flywheel to store energy therein including a cranking shaft and. a spur gear connected to said barrel for rotation therewith.

'7. In an engine starter of the inertia type, an engine engaging member, a flywheel for driving said member, a housing for the flywheel and. member, means including a rotatably mounted barrel and yielding mechanism therein for drivably connecting the flywheel and .member, a casing adjustably secured to said housing, a cranking shaft rotatably mounted in said casing, and means including a pair of inter-engaging gears, one of which is mounted on .said cranking shaft, and the other on said barrel, for energizing said flywheel.

8. In an engine starter, an engine engaging ,member', a flywheel for actuating said engine engaging member, means including a gear train for drivably connecting the flywheel and engine engaging member, said gear train including planetary gears, and means for rotating said flywheel including a spur gear adapted for unitary rotation with the planetary movement of said plan-- etary gears. I

9. In an engine starter of the inertia type, a housing, a flywheel rotatably mounted in said housing, an engine engaging member adapted to be driven by the flywheel, means including a rotatable clutch containing barrel for drivably connecting the flywheel and engine engaging member, means for rotating the flywheel includ' ing a cranking shaft, a spur gear operatively con- I nected to said shaft and rigidly secured to said barrel, and a means connected to the starter housing for rotatably supporting said cranking shaft.

RAYMOND P. LANSING. 

